Come to Join Me Crew Lass? Welcome Aboard!
by Captain Caffy
Summary: A Female crew member is accepted aboard the Black Pearl, and some ironic events occur. A secret she never thought she'd have to divulge comes back to haunt her, forcing her to face her past. Please Read and Review!
1. Hammocks do Not Provide a Good Sleep

**For the disclaimer, I don't own anything. Besides my original characters.**

**This does not take place during DMC, despite the fact that the quote is derived from it.**

**Please review, I beg of you.**

She had been told that if she wanted to sail, this would be the best place to come. She had heard that the crew was a fun bunch, and that the captain was fair. She had followed various instructions on how to reach the certain ship. These took her throughout the Caribbean, weaving in and out of numerous islands. She had managed to pick up a trinket and a piece of knowledge from each port she visited, to make sure she wouldn't forget her journey chasing the ship down. Now she was finally here, standing on the entrance to the rickety dock, gathering her courage. The generous candles spewn throughout the area gave the moonless night much light. She could see the clear image of the ship, thrust out against the sky. Men were carrying provisions onto the ship, guided onto the deck by a large gangplank. A goat and a couple of pigs were among the livestock carried on board. She walked slowly down the dock, her eyes fixed on the wooden wonder that was the ship. Her sword hung by her side, attached to a leather shoulder strap with an ornate gold buckle. One of the many treasures she had 'borrowed' from an inattentive pedestrian. The mans' shirt she wore billowed out as the wind blew against her. Various brightly colored clothes hung around her waist, and a couple were tied to her arms. On her left hand she had a glove with a slit at the top of the palm, very useful for slipping things into. Currently residing in the spot were the small items she had picked up from the other ports she had been to. A few necklaces hung from her throat, laden with gemstones of semi-precious to precious in value. One ring graced her hands; it was on her right hand on her middle finger. A deep aquamarine plated into a gold band. Her birthstone. Her mother had given it to her when she was much younger; it was one of the only valuable things she had that had not been stolen. A man who had been walking in front of her turned around just as his first foot hit the gangplank. He spun around, various trinkets in his hair clinking together as he preformed this motion. His eyes were lined with kohl, which struck her as odd. The only people she had seen wearing the substance around their eyes were the unfortunates at the taverns. The man looked her up and down, sizing her up.

"Come to join me crew lass? Welcome aboard." He said, extending his arms in a flourish, offering her to board the ship first. She raised an eyebrow but did as he had motioned. The man had just welcomed her onto his ship…knowing she was a woman. She awkwardly stepped onto the deck of the ship, taking a good look around. The man was soon behind her, barking orders to some other crew members. About four of the crew rushed over to the gangplank, throwing it to the side of the ship.

"Love, I'm assuming you want to join my crew?" He asked, turning to face her. She simply nodded.

"That's all fine with me now; just make sure you catch on quick." He advised with a wink. "Ask Gibbs were you'll be sleeping, and we'll talk more about this in the morning." He said, sauntering off after she nodded. A skinny man hurried past her, but not before she could tap his shoulder.

"Sir, are you… Gibbs?" She asked. He shook his head.

"Nay. 'E's over there, haulin' the crates." He said, pointing to man on the other side of the ship.

"Thanks!" She said quickly, and rushed over to Gibbs. When she arrived before him, he paid her no mind.

"Gibbs?" She asked awkwardly, after a few minutes of him ignoring her. He looked up at the figure before him.

"Yes." He said, letting the crate he was moving be placed on the ground.

"A man…. Just said I could join the crew, and he told me that you would tell me where to sleep…" She explained quietly. Gibbs sighed, putting his head in his hand.

"Oh Jack, what have you done now?" He asked himself, gaining the courage to look back up at her. "Yes, yes. I'll show you where you'll be sleeping." He said, walking briskly to a ladder that lead down to the bottom of the ship. "With the crew, but on the opposite side." He said, showing her a hammock made of thin cloth.

"We don't have any real beds, princess, don't know what ye were expecting." He said, climbing back to the deck. As he left she heard him muttering something about bad luck. She climbed into her hammock and laid there awkwardly. The crew were staring at her, watching her every movement. She had never been one to like being the center of attention, but them oogling her was just too much. She turned to the other side, hoping to get a break from their relentless glances. However this maneuver was to no avail. She still felt their gaze bore through her.

She was the first to awake that morning, the rest of the crew still snoring loudly in their hammocks. She jumped down from hers' silently, stretching her aching muscles from the night in the hammock. She crept up to the top deck, savoring the feeling of fresh air, compared to the cold, stale air below decks. She yawned as she climbed the stairs to the helm, leaning over a railing, gazing at the sea that washed up on the ship.

"Good morning, love." Said the man from the previous night. She startled and turned around immediately, staring at him, breathless.

"God you scared me." She said, holding her hand to her heart, her chest still heaving.

"I don't even get a good morning then?" He asked, draping his arm lazily on the wheel.

"Sorry, sir. Good morning." She said, regaining some composure. He nodded.

"Good morning, again." He said with a smile. "May I ask you name, lass?" He asked, his demeanor changing.

"Oh yeah, it's Lily." She said quickly, blinking a few times. She was still half asleep.

"It's nice to meet you, Lily, I am Jack Sparrow." He said, almost as if talking to a small child.

"Hey, I've heard of you… you're a pirate!" She exclaimed. Jack nodded.

"Glad you know." He said, with a tip of his hat. Lily smiled, a movement she had not made for a considerable amount of time. "And this is me ship, the Black Pearl." He said, pride filling his voice.

"Yes, I was looking for this exact ship, I was told that if you wanted to sail the seas, this was the ship to be on." She explained. Jack smiled wider.

"It sure is, love. Fastest pirate ship in the Caribbean." He said, his voice swelling with more pride. "I assume you've met the crew." He said. She nodded.

"Well, not exactly. They saw me, I saw them, but we didn't speak or introduce ourselves." She said.

"Hmph. Well, you'll have to learn to live with the lads if you plan to stay on this ship." Jack said. Lily nodded.

"Oh yes, yes of course! They do seem nice, just a bit intimidating…" She said. Jack grinned.

"They're a pirate crew! They're supposed to be intimidatin'." He said. She nodded sheepishly.

"Yes, I suppose they are." She said quietly.

"Now Lily, I have to make sure you'd be of help to us here. Have you sailed before?" Jacked asked. She nodded.

"I've been sailing for a year on a couple of different ships." She replied.

"Alright. Can you tie sails down and lower them at a certain number, quickly and accurately?" He asked. She nodded.

"Yes, and I happen to be especially efficient in bad weather." She said proudly. He smiled.

"Good, good. Any eyesight problems? Can you man the crows' nest?" He asked.

"Sure can." She said, her confidence rising. Jack nodded.

"You seem alright, but we'll find out today for sure, when the real work comes around. Keep in mind that you won't be doing a lot of exciting work for a bit, we have to know you're of true value." Jack said. She nodded.

"Of course, captain." Lily said. Jack smiled.

"Good girl, now, why don't we meet the crew?"

**A/N- Well, here was the first chapter. Seems a bit bland, yeah? It'll get better.**

**Now, if you want me to continue this story, tell me, if not, then tell me. And if you want me to continue, but don't review, than I won't know you want me to, and this story will go to the trash. ;)**


	2. Meet the Crew

**Thanks for the great reviews guys! I appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer-I don't own any canon characters.**

Lily coughed as the crew of the Black Pearl shuffled onto the deck, each and every one searching her, studying her.

"Lads, this is your new crewmate, Lily." Jack announced, motioning to the fidgeting Lily. Lily was not a beautiful woman. If anything, she was at the lowest notch of 'pretty'. She had some potential, oh yes, and it's not that she didn't try to harness that potential; it was that she had never really succeeded in grasping said potential. Her dirty blonde hair was cut just below her shoulders and had a slight wave to it. Several white streaks were woven into her hair from her time in the sun.

Her eyes were a quiet gray, but they lacked the kindness that brown usually possessed. Her figure was slim from a months on ships, surviving on water and ships bread. This slimness didn't allow her any curves, and her chest was undeniably flat, something she was occasionally grateful for, but more often suffered for. Her height was not exceedingly tall, but neither short. She was a good 5'1, maybe 5'2 if she forced herself to stand up straight. Her face wasn't hideous, but there was something on it that was off kilter, though one could not really place it. Various scars covered her body, some seen, and some invisible. Her teeth were relatively clean, especially for that time, something she prided herself on.

"She's a girl." One crew member bluntly observed.

"Yes, she is a girl, but from what I know, she is likely to be a better sailor than you." Jack said. The man who had voiced his observances shrunk back behind fellow crewmembers.

"Now." Jack said, walking down the stairs to the main deck. "Come." He said to Lily. She quietly followed, standing on the last step before the deck. "We'll all be introduced personally. And lads, you know to be nice to the lady. Act as if she were Anamaria." Jack ordered. A man who was rather overweight approached Lily.

"'Ello, Lily." He said, his head hung low.

"Hello." Lily said, trying to get a look at the man. He had a shadow of a beard and was considerably muscled. His head had a sprinkle of chocolate hair brushed over it. As he lifted his head, Lily saw bright green eyes staring back at her. She could tell that he was an intelligent man, for sure.

"My name is Miles." He said, extending a hand for her to shake. Lily smiled at the gesture.

"It's good to meet you, Miles." She said, as he shuffled to the back of the line.

"Hello, Miss Lily, it's an extravagant honor to behold your presence on this fine day." Said a squirmy man. He bent down and kissed the top of Lily's hand, a motion she had never before experienced. His hair was a mousy brown and remarkably greasy. His blue eyes bulged from his skull, giving you a feeling he was not mentally sane, and that he was constantly watching you. His height was less than Lily's, and his arms seemed dreadfully weak.

"Thank…you…" Lily said, unsure of how to respond to his actions. As he walked away, he mouthed 'Lance' and winked before turning his head. Lily was a bit bewildered after this experience, but the next person she was to meet would prove to be a great comfort to her.

"Hello, Miss Lily." Said a soft voice. An extremely tall man stood before Lily, with kind brown eyes that showed only a nature of gentleness. Lily genuinely smiled at the man with deep, tanned skin and a head of thick brown hair. "I am Jacob, or Jake if you prefer." He introduced. Lily's smile widened.

"It is a true pleasure to meet you, Jake." She said, shaking his hand. The next man in line was a scrawny lad about as tall as Lily. He seemed rather young, perhaps younger than Lily. His cold eyes reflected a troubled past, as did his greeting.

"I'm Ryan." He said, his voice cold, like steel. Lily got a sound feeling of unrest, especially when she shook the man's hand, which was cold as ice. A portly man waited next, and she recognized him as the man who had told the crew that she was a woman.

"Miss….Lily." He sniggered, holding his nose with a pudgy hand.

"I am not a girl, just so you understand. I believe I have earned the title of 'woman' when I reached eighteen." She seethed. He just chuckled and looked at her as if she was a hopeless creature.

"Well aren't you just the cutest thing." He giggled as he walked off.

"Sean." Said a man, extending his hand in a warm greeting. Lily smiled. The man had light blonde hair, similar to her own, and dark brown eyes. A sunny glow seemed to emit from him, something Lily looked forward to learning more of.

"Nice to meet you, Sean." Lily said, as the last crew member approached. His beard was lengthened and she was sure she saw more than a few crumbs in his beard. The amount of hair covering the man was enough to make it seem as if his face had been pushed into the hair.

"Fisher." Was all he said before he stalked off.

"And of course…" Jack said from behind her. "Mister Gibbs." A slightly overweight man with incredible sideburns appeared from behind Jack. He seemed reluctant to even approach Lily.

"Hello Lily I'm Gibbs." Was what he said quickly before running of to the starboard side of the ship.

"Jack?" Lily asked. Jack looked down at her.

"What?" Jack asked.

"Why is Gibbs so…scared to be around me?" She asked.

"See, Gibbs believes that women are bad luck on a ship. For me, I only think they are if they don't do well." He said with a wink. Lily nodded without fully understanding.

"Aye captain." She said, running off to the bow of the ship. There she let her thoughts flow around in her head before someone interrupted her.

"Hello lass." The voice said. Lily turned around sharply to face Sean.

"Hi, Sean." She said, smiling. She leaned back against the railing, looking at the sails. He stood beside her, leaning on his own piece of railing.

"How did you end up on a pirate ship, of all things?" He asked.

"How did you?" Lily replied with a smirk. She looked at his hat and plucked it off of his head, placing it on her own and over her eyes. Sean didn't seem to mind, and began to tell how he had wound up on such a ship.

"I saw an advertisement for it in a tavern a while back. Sounded like a good offer. I told my mum, she ended up screaming at me, ordering me to leave the house and never return. Since then I've been sailin' on the Black Pearl." Sean retold.

"Why didn't she want you back?" Lily asked, looking at him. He smiled slightly.

"My mum's an honest woman. Married a merchant sailor, abided by the law. When I told her I had signed up on a _pirate_ ship, you can imagine how she felt. Lectured me on good morals and how this was spoiling the family. Then told me to get out." He said calmly.

"I'm sorry, Sean." Lily said, letting her head hang slightly. Sean chuckled.

"It's no deal. That was years ago, I've since leaned to live with it, I've even forgiven myself. And I was right, it was an amazing offer. I tell you, lass, you're lucky to be on this crew." He said.

"Why?" She asked, honestly curious to the exact details. He smirked.

"Me, of course." He replied, flashing a smile. Lily scoffed. "Oh, what?" Sean asked.

"You?" Lily repeated. Sean nodded.

"Yes, me." He said smugly. Lily giggled, and after a few moments, Sean was as well.

"Do you say that to everyone?" She asked. He shook his head.

"It's usually just the men… but today I decided to make an exception." He answered, sending Lily into a fit of giggles.

"FULL SAILS!" The order came barked from the helm, the captain himself voicing it. Sean shrugged.

"Captain's orders." He said, walking to the rigging. "You get the mizzenmast's third yardarm, and I'll get the foremast's fifth yardarm, the rest of the crew decide the rest, aye?" He asked. Lily nodded.

"Aye." She said, running to the next set of rigging. She climbed it hurriedly. From the helm Jack watched his newest crewmember scamper about, expertly letting the sail go then tying it back to the yardarm. She climbed down before some other crewmembers.

"Damn…" She said, walking up next to Sean.

"What?" He asked, a smile playing across his face.

"You beat me!" She exclaimed. He nodded.

"So I did." He said with a smirk. Lily rolled her eyes, watching the rest of the crew scuttle down the rigging and to their earlier places. "Now, you never told me how you ended up on the most fearsome pirate ship in the Caribbean." Sean reminded.

"Oh, yes. Well, my family was never really rich. My mum married a local trader. He didn't have a stable income, but they loved each other. They had two kids, my older sister, Katharine, and myself. Katharine had to be sold into prostitution for money. None of us wanted her to do it, but she told us it was a sacrifice she had to make for the family. The first day she started my mum and dad begged me not to go down her path when I got older. I knew that I would anyway, and probably not voluntarily, Katharine would most likely force me into it somehow. So I left. Started sailing on merchant vessels, heard that the Black Pearl was a good ship, finally found her last night… and here I am." She told, smiling at her finish.

"Well, I am grieving for you family, but on the other hand, I am glad that you came here." He said with a smirk. Lily chuckled, blushing slightly.

"Alright Sean, speak as you wish." She said, rolling her eyes. "Hey, do we get dinner?" She asked eagerly. Sean nodded.

"Of course! Should be ready soon, I suppose."

**A/N- Well…. You've met the crew… and learned some about Lily.**

**Please review and tell me what you think, all reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	3. Eating Dinner

**Thanks for the review!! Keep them coming!**

The running and screaming continued for about an hour. Dinner was a complete mess, each pirate stuffing their faces with food. The scene was rather disgusting, not to mention the smell. Lily sat politely with her food before her, trying to ignore the disturbing sounds resounding throughout the crew. She gulped down a piece of pork, following it with a bite of ships' bread. Sean sat next to her, leaning back in his chair, watching the scene unfold before him.

"I hope you don't do that." Lily said, swallowing her food. Sean shook his head.

"Rarely. If someone steals my apple or something, then I might get a bit physical…" He said with a hint of a smile. Lily giggled and took a bite out of her own apple. "So how do you like your dinner?" Sean asked.

"Best I've ever had on a ship, for sure." She said, honestly impressed. Sean smiled.

"Well I'll have to tell the cook, Miles." He said happily.

"No, I can do it just fine myself. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't tell people they cook well." She said, frowning. Sean chuckled.

"Sorry. I get used to doing things for the lasses." He said.

"Oh, so you're nice to every female on board? How comforting." Lily said. Sean rolled his eyes.

"Come on." Sean said, standing up, "We can give our plates to Miles, he's cleaning them now, and we can also tell him how much you loved your dinner." Sean said, picked up her plate and weaving through the crew to a pair of double doors on the side. Lily followed carefully, trying not to step on any food that had been thrown to the floor. As soon as they passed through the doors, the noise was quieted dramatically. As she looked around, Lily saw Miles at the right side of the room, tirelessly washing dishes in a basin of water. They approached him, Sean silently setting the plates on the counter.

"Miles," Lily began.

"Oh, Miss Lily, hello." Miles said politely.

"You… you can just call me Lily. But anyway, what I wanted to say was that your dinner tonight was spectacular. The best I've ever eaten on a ship. And I know how hard it is to cook on one, I had the same job once." She said, smiling. Miles beamed, showing some missing teeth.

"Oh, thank you Lily. I'm glad to see someone actually enjoyed it, instead of throwing it around." He said gratefully. Lily smiled.

"Lily, it'd be best if we sort our your sleeping arrangements, and Miles, so sorry, but we must be going." Sean said, pushing Lily out into the eating area again. She walked up the stairs to the deck. As she and Sean were going to the side of the ship, Lily ran into Jack.

"Why, hello, love." Jack said, a smiling dancing over his features. Lily blushed.

"Oh, hello Captain." She said, looking down at her feet. Jack grinned.

"What are you doing up here?" He asked, motioning to the near-empty deck.

"Sean and I were just going to sort out….sleeping arrangements." She said, stuttering over the last few words.

"Ah, very tough, they are. Make sure you don't get too close to the rest of the crew…. They can get rather full of themselves with the new lasses." Jack advised.

"Thank… thank you, Captain Sparrow." She said, her eyes still gazing at the planks of the deck. Jack winked at her.

"No problem, love." He said, sauntering off towards the helm.

"Lily, where would you _like _to sleep?" Sean asked, brining her out of her Jack-induced daze.

"Near you." She said. Sean chuckled.

"Of course. I'll see you in the crews' quarters when you're ready." He said, walking down the stairs. Lily nodded and went over to the starboard side of the ship, watching the waves hit the bow. She suddenly felt something against her and she turned around sharply, coming face-to-face with Jack.

"Jack…" She whispered.

"Oh, sorry, love." He said, swaying away. This sequence of actions left Lily utterly confused, until the only reasoning part of her told her to go to the crews' quarters.

"Sean." She said, meeting him by a hammock.

"Here. Right next to mine, no one on the other side." He said with a smile, pointing to the hammock above him. Lily hugged him quickly.

"Thanks so much, Sean." She said gratefully. He nodded.

"It's nothing. Oh, and here's a few blankets for you, to use if you get cold. And a pillow." He said, climbing into his hammock and tossing her a couple of blankets and a pillow.

"Thanks." She said quietly, climbing into her own hammock. Sean laid down in his, resting his hands behind his head.

"How do you like it here so far?" He asked. Lily shrugged, still sitting up.

"It's very calm… except for dinner." She said, adding the last part as an afterthought.

"Of course." His mouth was hidden behind his thick blonde hair, but she could tell he was smiling. "Hey, get some sleep. The crew will be here in a few minutes, and after that, you won't be able to get any." He said, turning over to face her. Lily nodded and yawned.

"Alright. Goodnight." She said, pulling the blankets around her.

**A/N- Yeah, this was a REALLY short chapter, but it was incredibly difficult to write. Please review! It motivates me. :)**


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